Pre-assessment "How People Learn"

For this assignment the first thing that crossed my mind was several times in my life starting at 13, I was a disciplined runner. I can totally identify with the "Flow - the state in which people are so involved in an activity that nothing else seems to matter, the experience itself is so enjoyable tht people will do it even at great cost, for the sheer sake of doing it." I started long distance running when I was 13, and I had the most powerful mental, emotinal and physical experience while doing it. I can only describe it as being lost in a different world. I can remember getting the "runner's high." I can remember it being like I was lifted off of my feet and this current of electricity flowing through my body that made me want to continue. I would tell myself that I was almost done and ready for my cool down and something kept pushing me to go farther. It was like I could not get enough of it because it was so nourishing for my spirit. Running every day was something that I had to have and sometimes I would go twice a day once in the early morning and again in the evening. I experiences it again about a year after my daughter was born. I started to run again, and I became an addict. The same feelings and sensations would overwhelm my system, and I could never get enough. It was something that I looked forward to doing every single day. I can relate to what Victoria said at the retreat in August about having to run because I remember a time when I had to do it everyday or the daywas not right. When running as an adult, I was lost in my own world and all the problems of being a mother and a wife were gone. I carved out the time to do it, and I did not care if it caused an argument or made me have to rearrange some things in my schedule. Running was that important to me and that pleasurable. I felt powerful, strong, and very confident. It boosted my self-esteem, and brought out the best in me. I remember feeling focused and able to block out anything and everything during my journey as a runner. It tested my own limits and brought me to a place of peace and satisfaction. This was something that I did for myself and for myself only. It was not something I could share. It was all mine. Thinking about it now makes me happy and sad at the same time. I had not realized until now how much different my life has been without it.